NHL Hockey Player News

Wall was selected in the sixth-round of the 2016 draft. The 22-year-old netminder finished his senior season at UMass-Lowell at 18-8-6 with a 2.10 GAA and .931 SV%. After a terrific collegiate career, Wall joins the Rangers, where he is likely headed to the AHL for the foreseeable future.

Romanov was selected in the second-round (No.38 overall) in 2018 and is expected to make the leap into the NHL in 2020-21. The 20-year-old Russian blueliner has spent the last two seasons in the KHL, where he's played a limited role and tallied just 11 points (1G / 10A) in a combined 86 games for CSKA Moscow. However, while playing against players his own age in the 2019 and 2020 World Juniors, Romanov had two goals and 12 assists (14 points) in 14 games. Due to the current pause of the NHL season, the start date of the contract has yet to be determined.

Tampa Bay selected Semykin with the No.90 pick (third round) in 2018. The 6-foot-2, 214 lbs. Russian defenseman played in Russia's second league in 2019-20, tallying nine goals and 15 assists (24 points) in 44 games with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL). He wass a member of the Russian U-18 team but was not selected for the World Juniors.

Djoos opened the 2020 campaign with the Hershey Bears (AHL) where he had 32 points (5G / 27A) in 42 games. In late-February he was dealt to the Ducks for Daniel Sprong and he registered one goal and two assists while playing 21:22 ATOI in nine games with the Ducks before the season was paused.

Hakanpaa signed a one-year deal at the start of 2019-20 following four years in the Finnish Elite League. The former Blues fourth-round pick spent most of the season in the AHL, where he had one goal and 12 assists (14 points) in 47 games. During a brief audition with the Ducks, Hakanpaa had one goal while playing 18:07 ATOI in five games.

Florida selected Denisenko with the No.15 overall pick in 2018. The 19-year-old winger has spent the last two seasons playing a minimal role in the KHL, posting just 12 points (6G / 6A) in 38 games this past season. However, while playing against players of his age, Denisenko has flourished. He has represented Russia at the World Juniors in each of the last two years and has combined for 18 points (7G / 11A) in 14 games. He should be in a Panthers' uniform in 2020-21 and will be among the pre-season favourites to win the Calder Trophy.

Handemark was an undrafted free-agent out of Sweden. The 26-year-old centre has played primarily in the Swedish Elite League since 2014 and is coming off of a career-year. He set new career-bests in goals (14), assists (24) to lead Malmo in points (38) in 52 games this season.

Melnichuk was high in demand after a strong 2019-20 season in the KHL. The 21-year-old netminder only appeared in 16 games, but went 8-5-1 and finished fourth in the league in GAA (1.68) and tied for 12th in SV% (.930). He signs with San Jose where he could play right away. Aaron Dell is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020 season and Martin Jones struggled with a 3.00 GAA and .896 SV% before the season was paused. Their team GAA (3.21) was fifth-worst in the league, so Melnichuk addresses an immediate need for San Jose.

Lehtonen was a 26-year-old, undrafted free agent defenseman out of Finland. Lehtonen has bounced all over Europe in recent years, most recently playing for Jokerit in the KHL. In 2019-20, the 5-foot-11, 196 lbs. blueliner led the team with 49 points (17G / 32A) in 60 games.

Halak was 18-6-6 with a 2.39 GAA and .919 SV% in 31 games before the NHL season was paused. Since joining the Bruins in 2019, Halak has been among the league's best netminders. In his 71 appearances, he's gone 40-17-10 while ranking fifth in the NHL in GAA (2.36) and tied for fifth in SV% (.921). The Bruins aren't young between the pipes but the Halak--Tuukka Rask has ranked second in the league in GAA (2.49) over the last two seasons.

Harper started the 2019-20 season with the Maple Leafs organization before being traded to Nashville on February 22nd. He spent the entire season in the AHL, combining for 12 points (1G / 10A) in 41 games with the Marlies and Admirals.

Wolf was picked in the seventh-round of the 2019 draft and has been an absolute stud ever since. The 19-year-old had another terrific season with Everett (WHL), tying for the league-lead in Wins (34) and leading the league in GAA (1.88), SV% (.936) and shutouts (9). Unsurprisingly, he was named the WHL's top goaltender of 2019-20 and appears to be on the fast-track to the NHL.

Berglund was picked in the third-round (No.91 overall) in the 2016 draft and finally signed his ELC after spending the last four seasons in the Swedish Elite League. The 22-year-old defenseman finished the 2019-20 campaign with career-bests in goals (5), assists (15) and points (20) in 52 games with Skelleftea AIK.

Khisamutdinov was a sixth-round pick of the Canadiens in the 2019 NHL draft. The 22-year-old centre spent the 2020 season in the KHL, where he had just one goal and two assists (three points) in 31 games with Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik.

Zub was an undrafted free agent defenseman out of Russia, who is coming off of a career-year in the KHL. The 24-old set new career-highs in goals (13), assists (9) and points (22) in 57 games with St. Petersburg SKA. In 2018 he represented Russia in the Olympics, where he had four assists in six games to help the team win gold.

Colorado picked Annunen in the third round of the 2018 draft and is viewed as the potential future in net for them. The 20-year-old netminder was spectacular in the Finnish Elite League in 2019-20, going 15-5-3 while leading the league in both GAA (1.77) and SV% (.920). He also represented Finland at the World Juniors in 2020, where he finished the tournament with a 2.65 GAA and .916 SV% in six starts.

Edmonton selected Niemelainen in the third-round (No.63 overall) in 2016. The 6-foot-5, 205 lbs. defenseman has been back in Finland for the last three years after spending two seasons with Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. In 2019-20, the 21-year-old had seven points (1G / 6A) and 42 PIMS in 55 games with Assat of the Finnish Elite League.

Bolduc was selected in the second-round (No.57 overall) in 2019 and just finished his fourth year in the QMJHL. Bolduc started the year with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada but was moved to Sherbrooke Phoenix midway through. Overall, the 19-year-old defenseman tallied 11 goals and 32 assists (43 points) in 61 games. His 43 points was a career-best and was eighth among QMJHL blueliners.

Detroit drafted Brattstrom in the sixth-round of the 2018 NHL draft. The 23-year-old netminder was moved from Sweden's top league to Sweden's second league in 2020 and was one of the best goalies in the league. He finished with 33 wins in 45 appearances while ranking second in GAA (2.13) and sixth in SV% (.914).

Sandin was a 23-year-old undrafted free agent out of Sweden. The centre spent the last three years in the Swedish Elite League and is coming off of a year where he led HV71 Jonkoping in goals (19) and was second in points (36).